DREAM Act Portal Forum - Gutierrez: Senate filibuster will likely kill DREAM Act legislation

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Gutierrez: Senate filibuster will likely kill DREAM Act legislation

It looks like Rep. Gutierrez believes a filibuster is likely.

Quote:

With the Senate poised to vote Saturday on legislation offering illegal immigrant students a chance to remain in the country lawfully, one of Capitol Hill's leading advocates for the DREAM Act doesn't like its chances.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said Friday that, while supporters have picked up "a few Republicans" in the Senate, a GOP filibuster will likely sink the bill.

"It would pass if we would just let democracy work," Gutierrez said, indicating the proposal will win support from a majority of senators, but not the 60 members required to defeat a filibuster.

The Illinois Democrat also slammed Senate Republicans for what he considers their over-reliance on procedural hurdles to kill even minor Democratic initiatives.

"I thought the filibuster was for, like, going to war — not for everything," Gutierrez said.

House lawmakers passed the DREAM Act last week, but the proposal faces a much tougher road in the Senate, where even past supporters of the bill have jumped ship this year.

Of the seven Republicans to vote in favor of a similar measure in 2007, only two — Sens. Richard Lugar (Ind.) and Robert Bennett (Utah) — have committed to supporting it this time around. A number of centrist Democrats have also announced their opposition to the bill, including Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.), who voted for the 2007 measure, and Jon Tester (Mont.).

A number of lawmakers, including Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), remained undecided.